When faced with a potentially life-changing decision and unable to work out what to do, most people might turn to a friend for guidance or seek professional help from a counsellor. Talulah, the central character in Blood of My Blood, now playing at the Royal Court Theatre, takes a very different approach. Convinced that the only person who can advise her is a dead ancestor from more than 150 years ago, she travels 4,000 miles from London to South Carolina to summon her ancestor’s spirit to ask her a question.
If you are prepared to accept this unusual premise, Blood of My Blood is an intriguing and thought-provoking play that explores family, inheritance, slavery and intergenerational guilt in an intelligent and captivating way.
The story takes place in Bullock Creek, South Carolina, across two separate but connected timelines. In 1862, Ginnie (Ronke Adékoluéjo), a young enslaved Black woman, is raising her baby in a cabin on a plantation while the American Civil War rages beyond it. The head of the household, Dr ‘Doc’ John Good (Patrick Vaill), is in a relationship with Ginnie and is the father of her five children. She tells her friend Bertha (Karene Peter) that Doc treats her tenderly and it is clear that she sees their relationship as genuine and loving. The reality, however, is very different. Although Doc does seem to care for her, he is the one with all the power, does what he wants and remains married to Amanda (Hannah Morrish).
In the present day, the same cabin has been transformed into a trendy Airbnb, now owned by James and Nora (Patrick Vaill and Hannah Morrish in their second roles). Talulah (Jodie Campbell), a pregnant Black woman staying there, turns to the ancestral spiritual practice of conjure in an attempt to communicate with her ancestors. Desperate to find an answer to a question she seems unable to ask anyone else, she needs advice on whether she should have her baby. As the two timelines begin to intersect, the connection between Talulah’s dilemma and Ginnie’s past gradually becomes clearer.
The five-person cast is uniformly assured, bringing characters from two very different periods to life. Ronke Adékoluéjo is an extraordinary mix of tragedy and strength as Ginnie, balancing the character’s difficult life with her determination to remain positive for her children and in her relationship with Doc. Jodie Campbell is remarkable as Talulah, capturing both the vulnerability and strength she shares with her ancestor while making the play’s supernatural elements feel emotionally convincing rather than gimmicky. As both Doc and James, Patrick Vaill convincingly portrays two very different characters who share some similar traits.
Both initially appear to be easy-going and kindly figures, but reveal a much nastier side when they feel challenged. Hannah Morrish is delightful as Nora, the perky and interfering liberal homeowner, while also convincingly portraying Amanda, the tough and unsympathetic wife of a slave owner. Karene Peter is memorable in her smaller but pivotal roles as Bertha, an enslaved woman in 1862, and Niecey, a PhD student in the present day.
Joy Nesbitt’s script is intelligent and respectful in its depiction of the ancient spiritual practice of conjure, treating it as an important part of the characters’ lives rather than simply using it as a convenient supernatural device. The dialogue is smart and, in places, genuinely laugh-out-loud funny, providing some welcome lighter moments without undermining the play’s more serious themes.
Tatenda Shamiso’s direction keeps the production flowing at a good pace, despite the demands of moving between two timelines and two very different styles of storytelling. The transition from the historical drama of 1862 to Talulah’s contemporary story feels seamless with neither timeline feeling like an interruption to the other.
Blood of My Blood is a fascinating and thought-provoking play that manages to tackle some weighty themes without ever becoming weighed down by them. The play’s combination of humour, supernatural elements and historical drama keep you engaged throughout, while the connections between experiences in 1862 and the present day show how the past can continue to shape the lives of those who come after us. Blood of My Blood entertains while also leaving you with plenty to think about after it has ended.
Blood of My Blood is at the Royal Court Theatre until 7 Nov 2026
